Missouri Constitution Amendments: Who Ratifies Changes?

The Missouri Constitution, like other state constitutions, is much easier to modify than the federal constitution. There are three paths to amend the Missouri Constitution: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. The Missouri Constitution has been amended at least 119 times since 1945, with notable examples including the legalization of commercial gambling in 1993, the allowance of human embryos for stem cell research in 2006, and the legalization and regulation of medical marijuana in 2018. To propose an amendment, a two-thirds majority vote is required in both the Missouri House of Representatives and the Missouri Senate. Once the proposed amendment passes both chambers, it is then submitted to the voters for ratification through a statewide referendum. For an amendment to be ratified, it requires a simple majority of the votes cast, reflecting a consensus among both legislators and the public.

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Ratification by the General Assembly

The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of Missouri and is the supreme law that formulates the law and government of the state. It is subject only to the federal Constitution. The current Missouri Constitution was adopted in 1945 and is the state's fourth constitution. It has been amended 126 times, with the most recent amendments being approved in 2024.

The Missouri Constitution can be amended via three paths: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. The process for ratification of amendments to the Missouri Constitution involves two main steps: passage by the General Assembly and approval by the voters through a statewide referendum.

To propose an amendment, it must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote in both the Missouri House of Representatives and the Missouri Senate. Once the proposed amendment passes both chambers, it is then submitted to the voters for ratification. In other words, it must be placed on the ballot for a general election. The voters of Missouri will then decide whether to approve or reject the amendment.

For an amendment to be ratified, it requires a simple majority (more than 50%) of the votes cast. This means that if more than half of the voters support it, the amendment will become part of the Missouri Constitution. This process exemplifies the democratic approach taken in Missouri, ensuring that any changes to the Constitution reflect a consensus among both legislators and the public.

Voter approval via referendum

The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law that formulates the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution. The Missouri Constitution can be amended via three different paths: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention.

The Missouri Constitution can be amended through a citizen-initiated process. This involves a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. The number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is based on the number of votes cast for governor in the state's most recent gubernatorial election. Proponents must collect signatures equal to 8% of the gubernatorial vote in two-thirds of Missouri's congressional districts. Once the supporters meet the signature requirements, the amendment is placed on the ballot, without the legislature having a role in this process.

Once the citizen-initiated amendment qualifies for the ballot, it must be ratified by a simple majority of voters. This means that for the amendment to be ratified, it must receive a majority of votes in favor during the election. This democratic process ensures that any changes to the Constitution reflect a consensus among both legislators and the public.

The Missouri Constitution also provides for an automatic referendum to be held every 20 years, giving the people of Missouri the option to call for a new constitutional convention. This referendum was voted on in 1962, 1982, 2002, and 2022, and will be voted on again in 2042. However, these referendums have not yet passed.

In addition to the citizen-initiated process, a legislative process can also lead to a referendum. An amendment can be proposed through a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of the Missouri General Assembly (the House of Representatives and the Senate). The amendment is then placed on the ballot for a general election, and the voters of Missouri decide whether to approve or reject it. This process requires voter approval via referendum for the amendment to be ratified and become part of the Missouri Constitution.

Citizen-initiated amendments

The Missouri Constitution can be amended via three paths: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. Citizen-initiated amendments are a form of direct democracy, allowing citizens to propose and enact constitutional changes. This process empowers citizens to bypass the legislature and directly shape the constitution.

The process for citizen-initiated amendments in Missouri involves several steps. Firstly, citizens must propose an amendment by filing a petition to place it on the ballot. The number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is based on the votes cast for governor in the state's most recent gubernatorial election. Proponents must collect signatures equal to 8% of the gubernatorial vote in two-thirds of Missouri's congressional districts. This ensures that the amendment has a significant level of citizen support before advancing.

Once the required signatures are obtained, the proposed amendment is placed on the ballot for a general election. At this stage, the voters of Missouri decide whether to approve or reject the amendment. Voter approval is crucial, as the amendment must receive a simple majority (over 50%) of the votes cast for ratification. This democratic process ensures that any changes to the constitution reflect the will of the people.

In Missouri, citizen-initiated amendments have had a significant impact on state policies. For example, they have successfully expanded Medicaid, raised the minimum wage, and legalized marijuana. These initiatives demonstrate how citizens can directly shape the laws and governance of their state. However, some Republican lawmakers argue that amending the constitution through initiatives should be made more difficult to prevent excessive length and complexity.

It is worth noting that Missouri is not an outlier in offering citizen-initiated amendments. Across the United States, state constitutions are generally easier to amend than the federal Constitution. Seventeen states currently provide a path for citizen-initiated amendments, reflecting a broader trend of empowering citizens to directly engage in the legislative process.

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Legislator-referred amendments

In Missouri, a simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the Missouri General Assembly to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. This amounts to a minimum of 82 votes in the Missouri House of Representatives and 18 votes in the Missouri State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law formulating the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution and the people. The Missouri Constitution provides for three branches of government: legislative (the Missouri General Assembly), executive (the Governor of Missouri), and judicial (the Supreme Court of Missouri). It also sets up local governments in the form of counties and cities.

The Missouri Constitution can be amended through a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. In Missouri, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is based on the number of votes cast for governor in the state's most recent gubernatorial election. In two-thirds of Missouri's congressional districts, proponents must collect signatures equal to 8% of the gubernatorial vote for initiated constitutional amendments. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.

In all but one state where the constitutional initiative process is currently available, legislators cannot play a gate-keeping role by blocking a citizen-initiated amendment from appearing on the ballot. Once supporters meet the signature requirements and other legal requirements, the amendment is placed on the ballot, without a role for the legislature in this process. However, in Massachusetts, citizen-initiated amendments must secure support from one-fourth of the members of the legislature, sitting in joint session and voting in two consecutive sessions, before they can appear on the ballot.

Once citizen-initiated amendments qualify for the ballot, they generally have to be ratified in the same fashion as legislator-referred amendments, by a simple majority of voters in most states and by a supermajority of voters in several states. However, in Nevada, citizen-initiated amendments face an additional hurdle: they must be approved by a majority of voters in two consecutive elections.

Convention-referred amendments

The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law formulating the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution and the people. The Missouri Constitution can be amended via three paths: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention.

A convention-referred constitutional amendment is one of the ways to amend the Missouri Constitution. According to Section 3a of Article XII of the Missouri Constitution, a question about whether to hold a state constitutional convention is to automatically appear on the state's ballot every 20 years starting in 1942. Missouri is one of 14 states that provides for an automatic constitutional convention question. The Missouri Constitution has been amended four times, with the current constitution being the fourth and adopted in 1945. It provides for three branches of government: legislative (the Missouri General Assembly), executive (the Governor of Missouri), and judicial (the Supreme Court of Missouri).

The process of ratifying an amendment to the Missouri Constitution involves two main steps: proposing the amendment and then gaining voter approval. An amendment must be proposed and approved by a two-thirds majority in both the Missouri House of Representatives and the Missouri Senate. Once the amendment passes both chambers, it is then placed on the ballot for a statewide referendum. For an amendment to be ratified, it requires a simple majority (more than 50%) of the votes cast. This means that if more than half of the voters support it, the amendment will become part of the Missouri Constitution.

The Missouri Constitution was first drafted in 1820 and adopted on July 19, 1820. It specifically excluded "free negroes and mulattoes" from the state. The second convention in 1845 produced a constitution that was rejected by voters. The fourth constitutional convention was held in 1875, which drafted the state's third constitution. The convention met from May 5 to August 2, and the resulting constitution provided for, among other things, separate schools for African-American children.

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